This week on birthday, I got to be a Invigilator/Supervisor for an exam of 3 hours. The superlative "Super" makes it sound lot more important than it really is supposed to be, then Suuuppper from any south Indian movie used for a toffee seems to be a better scenario than being Supervisor. Although the second part of the term "Visor" has some connection, visor keeps glass clean, here; eyes open! Hence, easier to keep an eye on students and not allowing them to copy, at end of the day, that was my job. I had my doubts, but head supervisor showed full faith in me! God bless him!
I reach this place, exam center, take those Question Papers and answer sheets and take down all the instructions in my head. And make way to a noisy class; by the level of noise, its clear I will have my eyes fully occupied in order to stop all boys from copying. I take a deep breath and I am in.
Head supervisor comes in and announces that I am a newbie, please co-operate with him and do not try to take advantage of this fact. In muted thoughts: "So much for belief in me!"
First impression, there are as many girls as there are boys, seems like not a single more nor a single less, almost. Then its cue for me to start distributing the papers, and cue for boys to keep quiet, however to my surprise, it's their cue to go to their respective class.
I am standing in this class and I find the real occupants of the class to be over 90% Girls. In class where 30 are seating, 26 are girls. Only one thing came to my mind!
"Who the hell was the person, who drew these lots and sent a bachelor in a class of 26 girls to keep an eye on them?" You see, I needed to thank him! Okay! I am not talking of small girls here, if you are getting any different ideas, a class full of 21 years and above aged, to complete post-graduation in a year!
There, a girl comes close, hands over a text book, and asks me to keep it with me for safe keeping. And gives a mischievous smile, rather a grin from eye to eye! Hmmm! She might be trouble, I thought, good looking though, bubbly in her life. And then on last bench one of the guys, burly and somewhat awkward seating position, very suspicious.
And student start writing, one of the instructions was: "I should stand through, whole duration: 3 hours of exam!" and at end of 1st Quarter of 1st hour, I am looking at my watch and it said "Only 15 minutes have completed, and your legs are giving way so soon!"
As I made my rounds, I see some of the most beautiful handwritings, except for when most guys were writing the paper, except for one. The burly guy's paper was so unreadable, I already prayed for the examiner. The mischievous girl was writing her paper, very peculiar style, she used left hand, that's okay, but her pen slanted away from her body, in-case you are standing in front of her, a little towards left, the pens back would point at you. But still, handwriting was beautiful! As she was writing, I had doubt about her speed, and so checked where other girls were, on same point, the girl immediately ahead of her, next to her, 3 behind her, all in next row! Either they were master of copying from each other's paper or they had bi-hearted every single sentence! Hence kept my eyes open on that side, and as they finished that question, some changes were evident.
Signatures had to be taken on attendance, and put on papers, and I had made a mistake everywhere, a helpful girl came to my rescue, and corrected me, thanks to her I did not get the brunt of my superiors!
1 hour is not over and summer heat is showing its colour, water, water, shouts and hands went up! I was reduced to water distributer, thanks to supply of bottles, bought by girls, this was not tough.
One would seldom think of using a supplement, for main paper is long and 20 pages thick for answering 6 questions, but they started asking. 1....then 2nd girl...........3rd and so on, by the end of 2 hour, all girls had taken supplements except for one, and none of the boys had taken except for one.
At this time some odd things started to happen, one of the girl started setting her hairs, while I was standing behind her, long beautiful stresses, silky, light, dark, free flowing! Oh! Hell! Why am I here? Then she uses some talc on her back! This was certainly not the best place to be in! And so I moved.
Now it was about 45 minutes to finish the paper, and most guys started to leave the room, girls stayed put, asking for supplement after supplement after supplement. Some took about 5 supplements! Only if it were gym, guys would have done better in supplement department, at least, those present in this room.
At about 2 and half hours a girl got up from her seat, jumped down two steps and tapped on the shoulder of a guy, who was writing seriously and had good handwriting, her words were "Jaldi kar! Mera ho gaya!" (Complete fast, I have completed!) I think Sinhagad must be waiting! In next 15 minutes they left.
In all over 70 supplements were taken, and judiciously utilized. Make-up girl took most 5 supplements, so did the helpful girl! But I was very much impressed by the girl who did not take a single supplement, attempted all Questions and for she did not waste any space on paper, no margins, no fancy designs, no starting new Question on new page, no starting of answer on only full page sides. Hope, she scores well! That's lot of saving! Hope she scores well.
Ah! I forgot one thing, each girl smiled whenever I asked them something or when they asked me something. In all, was a fun day! Happy birthday to me!
